1
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Walcott S, Sun S, Debold EP, Herzog W. In defense of Huxley. Biophys J 2024:S0006-3495(24)00597-6. [PMID: 39278223 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sam Walcott
- Mathematical Sciences, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts.
| | - Sean Sun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Edward P Debold
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Walter Herzog
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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2
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Tomalka A, Weidner S, Hahn D, Seiberl W, Siebert T. Force re-development after shortening reveals a role for titin in stretch-shortening performance enhancement in skinned muscle fibres. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247377. [PMID: 39119673 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Stretch-shortening cycles (SSCs) involve muscle lengthening (eccentric contractions) instantly followed by shortening (concentric contractions). This combination enhances force, work and power output compared with pure shortening contractions, which is known as the SSC effect. Recent evidence indicates both cross-bridge (XB)-based and non-XB-based (e.g. titin) structures contribute to this effect. This study analysed force re-development following SSCs and pure shortening contractions to gain further insight into the roles of XB and non-XB structures regarding the SSC effect. Experiments were conducted on rat soleus muscle fibres (n=16) with different SSC velocities (30%, 60% and 85% of maximum shortening velocity) and constant stretch-shortening magnitudes (18% of optimum length). The XB inhibitor blebbistatin was used to distinguish between XB and non-XB contributions to force generation. The results showed SSCs led to significantly greater [mean±s.d. 1.02±0.15 versus 0.68±0.09 (ΔF/Δt); t62=8.61, P<0.001, d=2.79) and faster (75 ms versus 205 ms; t62=-6.37, P<0.001, d=-1.48) force re-development compared with pure shortening contractions in the control treatment. In the blebbistatin treatment, SSCs still resulted in greater [0.11±0.03 versus 0.06±0.01 (ΔF/Δt); t62=8.00, P<0.001, d=2.24) and faster (3010±1631 versus 7916±3230 ms; t62=-8.00, P<0.001, d=-1.92) force re-development compared with pure shortening contractions. These findings deepen our understanding of the SSC effect, underscoring the involvement of non-XB structures such as titin in modulating force production. This modulation is likely to involve complex mechanosensory coupling from stretch to signal transmission during muscle contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Tomalka
- Motion and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sven Weidner
- Motion and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Daniel Hahn
- Human Movement Science, Faculty of Sports Science, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
- School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Wolfgang Seiberl
- Human Movement Science, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, 85579 Neubiberg, Germany
| | - Tobias Siebert
- Motion and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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3
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Schmidt AA, Grosberg AY, Grosberg A. A novel kinetic model to demonstrate the independent effects of ATP and ADP/Pi concentrations on sarcomere function. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012321. [PMID: 39102392 PMCID: PMC11326600 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding muscle contraction mechanisms is a standing challenge, and one of the approaches has been to create models of the sarcomere-the basic contractile unit of striated muscle. While these models have been successful in elucidating many aspects of muscle contraction, they fall short in explaining the energetics of functional phenomena, such as rigor, and in particular, their dependence on the concentrations of the biomolecules involved in the cross-bridge cycle. Our hypothesis posits that the stochastic time delay between ATP adsorption and ADP/Pi release in the cross-bridge cycle necessitates a modeling approach where the rates of these two reaction steps are controlled by two independent parts of the total free energy change of the hydrolysis reaction. To test this hypothesis, we built a two-filament, stochastic-mechanical half-sarcomere model that separates the energetic roles of ATP and ADP/Pi in the cross-bridge cycle's free energy landscape. Our results clearly demonstrate that there is a nontrivial dependence of the cross-bridge cycle's kinetics on the independent concentrations of ATP, ADP, and Pi. The simplicity of the proposed model allows for analytical solutions of the more basic systems, which provide novel insight into the dominant mechanisms driving some of the experimentally observed contractile phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A Schmidt
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- UCI Edwards Lifesciences Foundation Cardiovascular Innovation and Research Center (CIRC), University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Alexander Y Grosberg
- Department of Physics and Center for Soft Matter Research, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Anna Grosberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- UCI Edwards Lifesciences Foundation Cardiovascular Innovation and Research Center (CIRC), University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- The NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research and Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center and Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
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4
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Tune T, Kooiker KB, Davis J, Daniel T, Moussavi-Harami F. Identifying Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets in Muscle using Bayesian Parameter Estimation with Conditional Variational Autoencoders. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.08.593035. [PMID: 38766103 PMCID: PMC11100674 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.08.593035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Cardiomyopathies, often caused by mutations in genes encoding muscle proteins, are traditionally treated by phenotyping hearts and addressing symptoms post irreversible damage. With advancements in genotyping, early diagnosis is now possible, potentially preventing such damage. However, the intricate structure of muscle and its myriad proteins make treatment predictions challenging. Here we approach the problem of estimating therapeutic targets for a mutation in mouse muscle using a spatially explicit half sarcomere muscle model. We selected 9 rate parameters in our model linked to both small molecules and cardiomyopathy-causing mutations. We then randomly varied these rate parameters and simulated an isometric twitch for each combination to generate a large training dataset. We used this dataset to train a Conditional Variational Autoencoder (CVAE), a technique used in Bayesian parameter estimation. Given simulated or experimental isometric twitches, this machine learning model is able to then predict the set of rate parameters which are most likely to yield that result. We then predict the set of rate parameters associated with both control and the cardiac Troponin C (cTnC) I61Q variant in mouse trabeculae and model parameters that recover the abnormal I61Q cTnC twitches. SIGNIFICANCE Machine learning techniques have potential to accelerate discoveries in biologically complex systems. However, they require large data sets and can be challenging in high dimensional systems such as cardiac muscle. In this study, we combined experimental measures of cardiac muscle twitch forces with mechanistic simulations and a newly developed mixture of Bayesian inference with neural networks (in autoencoders) to solve the inverse problem of determining the underlying kinetics for observed force generation by cardiac muscle. The autoencoders are trained on millions of simulations spanning parameter spaces that correspond to the mechanochemistry of cardiac sarcomeres. We apply the trained model to experimental data in order to infer parameters that can explain a diseased twitch and ways to recover it.
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5
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Tune T, Sponberg S. Nanometer scale difference in myofilament lattice structure of muscle alter muscle function in a spatially explicit model. ARXIV 2024:arXiv:2405.19443v1. [PMID: 38855552 PMCID: PMC11160890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Crossbridge binding, state transitions, and force in active muscle is dependent on the radial spacing between the myosin-containing thick filament and the actin-containing thin filament in the filament lattice. This radial lattice spacing has been previously shown through spatially explicit modeling and experimental efforts to greatly affect quasi-static, isometric, force production in muscle. It has recently been suggested that this radial spacing might also be able to drive differences in mechanical function, or net work, under dynamic oscillations like those which occur in muscles in vivo. However, previous spatially explicit models either had no radial spacing dependence, meaning the lattice spacing could not be investigated, or did include radial spacing dependence but could not reproduce in vivo net work during dynamic oscillations and only investigated isometric contractions. Here we show the first spatially explicit model to include radial crossbridge dependence which can produce mechanical function similar to real muscle. Using this spatially explicit model of a half sarcomere, we show that when oscillated at strain amplitudes and frequencies like those in the hawk moth Manduca sexta, mechanical function (net work) does depend on the lattice spacing. In addition, since the trajectory of lattice spacing changes during dynamic oscillation can vary from organism to organism, we can prescribe a trajectory of lattice spacing changes in the spatially explicit half sarcomere model and investigate the extent to which the time course of lattice spacing changes can affect mechanical function. We simulated a half sarcomere undergoing dynamic oscillations and prescribed the Poisson's ratio of the lattice to be either 0 (constant lattice spacing) or 0.5 (isovolumetric lattice spacing changes). We also simulated net work using lattice spacing data taken from Manduca sexta which has a variable Poisson's ratio. Our simulation results indicate that the lattice spacing can change the mechanical function of muscle, and that in some cases a 1 nm difference can switch the net work of the half sarcomere model from positive (motor-like) to negative (brake-like).
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis Tune
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Simon Sponberg
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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6
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Dhawale N, Labonte D, Holt NC. The effect of muscle ultrastructure on the force, displacement and work capacity of skeletal muscle. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20230658. [PMID: 38774960 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle powers animal movement through interactions between the contractile proteins, actin and myosin. Structural variation contributes greatly to the variation in mechanical performance observed across muscles. In vertebrates, gross structural variation occurs in the form of changes in the muscle cross-sectional area : fibre length ratio. This results in a trade-off between force and displacement capacity, leaving work capacity unaltered. Consequently, the maximum work per unit volume-the work density-is considered constant. Invertebrate muscle also varies in muscle ultrastructure, i.e. actin and myosin filament lengths. Increasing actin and myosin filament lengths increases force capacity, but the effect on muscle fibre displacement, and thus work, capacity is unclear. We use a sliding-filament muscle model to predict the effect of actin and myosin filament lengths on these mechanical parameters for both idealized sarcomeres with fixed actin : myosin length ratios, and for real sarcomeres with known filament lengths. Increasing actin and myosin filament lengths increases stress without reducing strain capacity. A muscle with longer actin and myosin filaments can generate larger force over the same displacement and has a higher work density, so seemingly bypassing an established trade-off. However, real sarcomeres deviate from the idealized length ratio suggesting unidentified constraints or selective pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nihav Dhawale
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, UC Riverside , Riverside, CA, USA
| | - David Labonte
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London , London, UK
| | - Natalie C Holt
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, UC Riverside , Riverside, CA, USA
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7
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Tanner BCW. Design Principles and Benefits of Spatially Explicit Models of Myofilament Function. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2735:43-62. [PMID: 38038843 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3527-8_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Spatially explicit models of muscle contraction include fine-scale details about the spatial, kinetic, and/or mechanical properties of the biological processes being represented within the model network. Over the past 25 years, this has primarily consisted of a set of mathematical and computational algorithms representing myosin cross-bridge activity, Ca2+-activation of contraction, and ensemble force production within a half-sarcomere representation of the myofilament network. Herein we discuss basic design principles associated with creating spatially explicit models of myofilament function, as well as model assumptions underlying model development. A brief overview of computational approaches is introduced. Opportunities for new model directions that could investigate coupled regulatory pathways between the thick-filament and thin-filaments are also presented. Given the modular design and flexibility associated with spatially explicit models, we highlight some advantages of this approach compared to other model formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertrand C W Tanner
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
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8
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Coscarella IL, Landim-Vieira M, Rastegarpouyani H, Chase PB, Irianto J, Pinto JR. Nucleus Mechanosensing in Cardiomyocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13341. [PMID: 37686151 PMCID: PMC10487505 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac muscle contraction is distinct from the contraction of other muscle types. The heart continuously undergoes contraction-relaxation cycles throughout an animal's lifespan. It must respond to constantly varying physical and energetic burdens over the short term on a beat-to-beat basis and relies on different mechanisms over the long term. Muscle contractility is based on actin and myosin interactions that are regulated by cytoplasmic calcium ions. Genetic variants of sarcomeric proteins can lead to the pathophysiological development of cardiac dysfunction. The sarcomere is physically connected to other cytoskeletal components. Actin filaments, microtubules and desmin proteins are responsible for these interactions. Therefore, mechanical as well as biochemical signals from sarcomeric contractions are transmitted to and sensed by other parts of the cardiomyocyte, particularly the nucleus which can respond to these stimuli. Proteins anchored to the nuclear envelope display a broad response which remodels the structure of the nucleus. In this review, we examine the central aspects of mechanotransduction in the cardiomyocyte where the transmission of mechanical signals to the nucleus can result in changes in gene expression and nucleus morphology. The correlation of nucleus sensing and dysfunction of sarcomeric proteins may assist the understanding of a wide range of functional responses in the progress of cardiomyopathic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maicon Landim-Vieira
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Hosna Rastegarpouyani
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
- Institute for Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Prescott Bryant Chase
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Jerome Irianto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Jose Renato Pinto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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9
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Doh CY, Kampourakis T, Campbell KS, Stelzer JE. Basic science methods for the characterization of variants of uncertain significance in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1238515. [PMID: 37600050 PMCID: PMC10432852 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1238515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
With the advent of next-generation whole genome sequencing, many variants of uncertain significance (VUS) have been identified in individuals suffering from inheritable hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Unfortunately, this classification of a genetic variant results in ambiguity in interpretation, risk stratification, and clinical practice. Here, we aim to review some basic science methods to gain a more accurate characterization of VUS in HCM. Currently, many genomic data-based computational methods have been developed and validated against each other to provide a robust set of resources for researchers. With the continual improvement in computing speed and accuracy, in silico molecular dynamic simulations can also be applied in mutational studies and provide valuable mechanistic insights. In addition, high throughput in vitro screening can provide more biologically meaningful insights into the structural and functional effects of VUS. Lastly, multi-level mathematical modeling can predict how the mutations could cause clinically significant organ-level dysfunction. We discuss emerging technologies that will aid in better VUS characterization and offer a possible basic science workflow for exploring the pathogenicity of VUS in HCM. Although the focus of this mini review was on HCM, these basic science methods can be applied to research in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), or other genetic cardiomyopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Yoon Doh
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Thomas Kampourakis
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kenneth S. Campbell
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Julian E. Stelzer
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
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10
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Asencio A, Malingen S, Kooiker KB, Powers JD, Davis J, Daniel T, Moussavi-Harami F. Machine learning meets Monte Carlo methods for models of muscle's molecular machinery to classify mutations. J Gen Physiol 2023; 155:e202213291. [PMID: 37000171 PMCID: PMC10067704 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202213291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The timing and magnitude of force generation by a muscle depend on complex interactions in a compliant, contractile filament lattice. Perturbations in these interactions can result in cardiac muscle diseases. In this study, we address the fundamental challenge of connecting the temporal features of cardiac twitches to underlying rate constants and their perturbations associated with genetic cardiomyopathies. Current state-of-the-art metrics for characterizing the mechanical consequence of cardiac muscle disease do not utilize information embedded in the complete time course of twitch force. We pair dimension reduction techniques and machine learning methods to classify underlying perturbations that shape the timing of twitch force. To do this, we created a large twitch dataset using a spatially explicit Monte Carlo model of muscle contraction. Uniquely, we modified the rate constants of this model in line with mouse models of cardiac muscle disease and varied mutation penetrance. Ultimately, the results of this study show that machine learning models combined with biologically informed dimension reduction techniques can yield excellent classification accuracy of underlying muscle perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Asencio
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Transnational Muscle Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sage Malingen
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Transnational Muscle Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kristina B. Kooiker
- Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Transnational Muscle Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joseph D. Powers
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Davis
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Transnational Muscle Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thomas Daniel
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Transnational Muscle Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Farid Moussavi-Harami
- Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Transnational Muscle Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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11
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Hessel AL, Kuehn M, Palmer BM, Nissen D, Mishra D, Joumaa V, Freundt J, Ma W, Nishikawa KC, Irving T, Linke WA. The distinctive mechanical and structural signatures of residual force enhancement in myofibers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.19.529125. [PMID: 36865266 PMCID: PMC9980001 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.19.529125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
In muscle, titin proteins connect myofilaments together and are thought to be critical for contraction, especially during residual force enhancement (RFE) when force is elevated after an active stretch. We investigated titin's function during contraction using small-angle X-ray diffraction to track structural changes before and after 50% titin cleavage and in the RFE-deficient, mdm titin mutant. We report that the RFE state is structurally distinct from pure isometric contractions, with increased thick filament strain and decreased lattice spacing, most likely caused by elevated titin-based forces. Furthermore, no RFE structural state was detected in mdm muscle. We posit that decreased lattice spacing, increased thick filament stiffness, and increased non-crossbridge forces are the major contributors to RFE. We conclude that titin directly contributes to RFE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony L. Hessel
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Muenster; Muenster, Germany
| | - Michel Kuehn
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Muenster; Muenster, Germany
| | - Bradley M. Palmer
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont; Burlington, VT, 05405-1705, USA
| | - Devin Nissen
- BioCAT, Department of Biology, Illinois Institute of Technology; Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dhruv Mishra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Arizona; Flagstaff AZ, USA
| | - Venus Joumaa
- Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N1N4, Canada
| | - Johanna Freundt
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Muenster; Muenster, Germany
| | - Weikang Ma
- BioCAT, Department of Biology, Illinois Institute of Technology; Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kiisa C. Nishikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Arizona; Flagstaff AZ, USA
| | - Thomas Irving
- BioCAT, Department of Biology, Illinois Institute of Technology; Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Wolfgang A. Linke
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Muenster; Muenster, Germany
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12
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Zhang Y, Yin D, Pang X, Deng Z, Yan S. Biomechanical properties of honeybee abdominal muscles during stretch activation. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2023; 138:105639. [PMID: 36577321 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of the honeybee's abdominal muscles endow its abdomen with movement flexibility to perform various activities. However, the biomechanical properties of abdominal muscles during stretch activation remain unclear. To clarify this issue, we observed the microstructures of the abdominal muscles to obtain structural information. The similarity and symmetry of abdominal muscle distribution contribute to the ability to drive abdominal movement. Combined with the segmented structure characteristics, an experimental device to measure muscle stretch measurement of honeybees was developed to investigate the mechanical properties of the abdominal muscles. During measurement, the muscles were kept in a solution to maintain a physiological environment. The mechanical properties of abdominal muscles included phases: the ascending phase with proportional increase, stable phase with slight fluctuation, and decay phase with parabolic decline. These findings indicate that the nonlinear and rate-sensitive mechanical properties of the abdominal muscles enable them to rapidly adapt to environmental changes. The stretch force and stiffness coefficient reached 0.660 ± 0.139 mN and 14.364 ± 2.961 N/m, respectively. A simplified biomechanical model of the muscle fiber considering the hierarchical microstructure was introduced, in which the mechanical properties were consistent with the experimental data. Further analysis of the effects of the activation probability and the effective range of binding sites on the mechanical properties demonstrated the critical role in force generation, revealing the mechanism of underlying muscle stretch activation in the honeybee abdomen. The findings can provide a new reference for studying the biomechanical properties of the muscles of other arthropod insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuling Zhang
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China
| | - Danni Yin
- School of Materials and Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, PR China
| | - Xu Pang
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083, Beijing, PR China
| | - Zhizhong Deng
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China
| | - Shaoze Yan
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China.
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13
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Musgrave JH, Han JC, Ward ML, Taberner AJ, Loiselle DS, Tran K. Uncovering cross-bridge properties that underlie the cardiac active complex modulus using model linearisation techniques. Math Biosci 2022; 353:108922. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2022.108922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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14
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Kosta S, Colli D, Ye Q, Campbell KS. FiberSim: A flexible open-source model of myofilament-level contraction. Biophys J 2022; 121:175-182. [PMID: 34932957 PMCID: PMC8790209 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
FiberSim is a flexible open-source model of myofilament-level contraction. The code uses a spatially explicit technique, meaning that it tracks the position and status of each contractile molecule within the lattice framework. This allows the model to simulate some of the mechanical effects modulated by myosin-binding protein C, as well as the dose dependence of myotropes and the effects of varying isoform expression levels. This paper provides a short introduction to FiberSim and presents simulations of tension-pCa curves with and without regulation of thick and thin filament activation by myosin-binding protein C. A myotrope dose-dependent response as well as slack/re-stretch maneuvers to assess rates of tension recovery are also presented. The software was designed to be flexible (the user can define their own model and/or protocol) and computationally efficient (simulations can be performed on a regular laptop). We hope that other investigators will use FiberSim to explore myofilament level mechanisms and to accelerate research focusing on the contractile properties of sarcomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kosta
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.
| | - Dylan Colli
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Qiang Ye
- Department of Mathematics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
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15
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Park J, Wu Z, Steiner PR, Zhu B, Zhang JXJ. Heart-on-Chip for Combined Cellular Dynamics Measurements and Computational Modeling Towards Clinical Applications. Ann Biomed Eng 2022; 50:111-137. [PMID: 35039976 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-022-02902-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Organ-on-chip or micro-engineered three-dimensional cellular or tissue models are increasingly implemented in the study of cardiovascular pathophysiology as alternatives to traditional in vitro cell culture. Drug induced cardiotoxicity is a key issue in drug development pipelines, but the current in vitro and in vivo studies suffer from inter-species differences, high costs, and lack of reliability and accuracy in predicting cardiotoxicity. Microfluidic heart-on-chip devices can impose a paradigm shift to the current tools. They can not only recapitulate cardiac tissue level functionality and the communication between cells and extracellular matrices but also allow higher throughput studies conducive to drug screening especially with their added functionalities or sensors that extract disease-specific phenotypic, genotypic, and electrophysiological information in real-time. Such electrical and mechanical components can tailor the electrophysiology and mechanobiology of the experiment to better mimic the in vivo condition as well. Recent advancements and challenges are reviewed in the fabrication, functionalization and sensor assisted mechanical and electrophysiological measurements, numerical and computational modeling of cardiomyocytes' behavior, and the clinical applications in drug screening and disease modeling. This review concludes with the current challenges and perspectives on the future of such organ-on-chip platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyoon Park
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Ziqian Wu
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Paul R Steiner
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, 1 Medical Center Dr, Lebanon, NH, 03766, USA
| | - Bo Zhu
- Computer Science Department, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - John X J Zhang
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA. .,Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, 1 Medical Center Dr, Lebanon, NH, 03766, USA.
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16
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Klotz T, Bleiler C, Röhrle O. A Physiology-Guided Classification of Active-Stress and Active-Strain Approaches for Continuum-Mechanical Modeling of Skeletal Muscle Tissue. Front Physiol 2021; 12:685531. [PMID: 34408657 PMCID: PMC8365610 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.685531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The well-established sliding filament and cross-bridge theory explain the major biophysical mechanism responsible for a skeletal muscle's active behavior on a cellular level. However, the biomechanical function of skeletal muscles on the tissue scale, which is caused by the complex interplay of muscle fibers and extracellular connective tissue, is much less understood. Mathematical models provide one possibility to investigate physiological hypotheses. Continuum-mechanical models have hereby proven themselves to be very suitable to study the biomechanical behavior of whole muscles or entire limbs. Existing continuum-mechanical skeletal muscle models use either an active-stress or an active-strain approach to phenomenologically describe the mechanical behavior of active contractions. While any macroscopic constitutive model can be judged by it's ability to accurately replicate experimental data, the evaluation of muscle-specific material descriptions is difficult as suitable data is, unfortunately, currently not available. Thus, the discussions become more philosophical rather than following rigid methodological criteria. Within this work, we provide a extensive discussion on the underlying modeling assumptions of both the active-stress and the active-strain approach in the context of existing hypotheses of skeletal muscle physiology. We conclude that the active-stress approach resolves an idealized tissue transmitting active stresses through an independent pathway. In contrast, the active-strain approach reflects an idealized tissue employing an indirect, coupled pathway for active stress transmission. Finally the physiological hypothesis that skeletal muscles exhibit redundant pathways of intramuscular stress transmission represents the basis for considering a mixed-active-stress-active-strain constitutive framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Klotz
- Chair for Continuum Biomechanics and Mechanobiology, Institute for Modelling and Simulation of Biomechanical Systems, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
- Stuttgart Center for Simulation Sciences (SC SimTech), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Christian Bleiler
- Chair for Continuum Biomechanics and Mechanobiology, Institute for Modelling and Simulation of Biomechanical Systems, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
- Stuttgart Center for Simulation Sciences (SC SimTech), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Oliver Röhrle
- Chair for Continuum Biomechanics and Mechanobiology, Institute for Modelling and Simulation of Biomechanical Systems, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
- Stuttgart Center for Simulation Sciences (SC SimTech), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
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17
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Marcucci L, Fukunaga H, Yanagida T, Iwaki M. The Synergic Role of Actomyosin Architecture and Biased Detachment in Muscle Energetics: Insights in Cross Bridge Mechanism Beyond the Lever-Arm Swing. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22137037. [PMID: 34210098 PMCID: PMC8269045 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Muscle energetics reflects the ability of myosin motors to convert chemical energy into mechanical energy. How this process takes place remains one of the most elusive questions in the field. Here, we combined experimental measurements of in vitro sliding velocity based on DNA-origami built filaments carrying myosins with different lever arm length and Monte Carlo simulations based on a model which accounts for three basic components: (i) the geometrical hindrance, (ii) the mechano-sensing mechanism, and (iii) the biased kinetics for stretched or compressed motors. The model simulations showed that the geometrical hindrance due to acto-myosin spatial mismatching and the preferential detachment of compressed motors are synergic in generating the rapid increase in the ATP-ase rate from isometric to moderate velocities of contraction, thus acting as an energy-conservation strategy in muscle contraction. The velocity measurements on a DNA-origami filament that preserves the motors’ distribution showed that geometrical hindrance and biased detachment generate a non-zero sliding velocity even without rotation of the myosin lever-arm, which is widely recognized as the basic event in muscle contraction. Because biased detachment is a mechanism for the rectification of thermal fluctuations, in the Brownian-ratchet framework, we predict that it requires a non-negligible amount of energy to preserve the second law of thermodynamics. Taken together, our theoretical and experimental results elucidate less considered components in the chemo-mechanical energy transduction in muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Marcucci
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, Suita 5650874, Japan; (T.Y.); (M.I.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Hiroki Fukunaga
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan;
| | - Toshio Yanagida
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, Suita 5650874, Japan; (T.Y.); (M.I.)
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan;
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, NICT, Suita 5650871, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Iwaki
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, Suita 5650874, Japan; (T.Y.); (M.I.)
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan;
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18
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Powers JD, Malingen SA, Regnier M, Daniel TL. The Sliding Filament Theory Since Andrew Huxley: Multiscale and Multidisciplinary Muscle Research. Annu Rev Biophys 2021; 50:373-400. [PMID: 33637009 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-110320-062613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Two groundbreaking papers published in 1954 laid out the theory of the mechanism of muscle contraction based on force-generating interactions between myofilaments in the sarcomere that cause filaments to slide past one another during muscle contraction. The succeeding decades of research in muscle physiology have revealed a unifying interest: to understand the multiscale processes-from atom to organ-that govern muscle function. Such an understanding would have profound consequences for a vast array of applications, from developing new biomimetic technologies to treating heart disease. However, connecting structural and functional properties that are relevant at one spatiotemporal scale to those that are relevant at other scales remains a great challenge. Through a lens of multiscale dynamics, we review in this article current and historical research in muscle physiology sparked by the sliding filament theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph D Powers
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Sage A Malingen
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA;
| | - Michael Regnier
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98185, USA
- Center for Translational Muscle Research, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98185, USA
| | - Thomas L Daniel
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA;
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98185, USA
- Center for Translational Muscle Research, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98185, USA
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19
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Jarvis KJ, Bell KM, Loya AK, Swank DM, Walcott S. Force-velocity and tension transient measurements from Drosophila jump muscle reveal the necessity of both weakly-bound cross-bridges and series elasticity in models of muscle contraction. Arch Biochem Biophys 2021; 701:108809. [PMID: 33610561 PMCID: PMC7986577 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2021.108809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Muscle contraction is a fundamental biological process where molecular interactions between the myosin molecular motor and actin filaments result in contraction of a whole muscle, a process spanning size scales differing in eight orders of magnitude. Since unique behavior is observed at every scale in between these two extremes, to fully understand muscle function it is vital to develop multi-scale models. Based on simulations of classic measurements of muscle heat generation as a function of work, and shortening rate as a function of applied force, we hypothesize that a model based on molecular measurements must be modified to include a weakly-bound interaction between myosin and actin in order to fit measurements at the muscle fiber or whole muscle scales. This hypothesis is further supported by the model's need for a weakly-bound state in order to qualitatively reproduce the force response that occurs when a muscle fiber is rapidly stretched a small distance. We tested this hypothesis by measuring steady-state force as a function of shortening velocity, and the force transient caused by a rapid length step in Drosophila jump muscle fibers. Then, by performing global parameter optimization, we quantitatively compared the predictions of two mathematical models, one lacking a weakly-bound state and one with a weakly-bound state, to these measurements. Both models could reproduce our force-velocity measurements, but only the model with a weakly-bound state could reproduce our force transient measurements. However, neither model could concurrently fit both measurements. We find that only a model that includes weakly-bound cross-bridges with force-dependent detachment and an elastic element in series with the cross-bridges is able to fit both of our measurements. This result suggests that the force response after stretch is not a reflection of distinct steps in the cross-bridge cycle, but rather arises from the interaction of cross-bridges with a series elastic element. Additionally, the model suggests that the curvature of the force-velocity relationship arises from a combination of the force-dependence of weakly- and strongly-bound cross-bridges. Overall, this work presents a minimal cross-bridge model that has predictive power at the fiber level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn J Jarvis
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Kaylyn M Bell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Amy K Loya
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Douglas M Swank
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Sam Walcott
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA.
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20
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Fenwick AJ, Wood AM, Tanner BCW. The spatial distribution of thin filament activation influences force development and myosin activity in computational models of muscle contraction. Arch Biochem Biophys 2021; 703:108855. [PMID: 33781771 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2021.108855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Striated muscle contraction is initiated by Ca2+ binding to, and activating, thin filament regulatory units (RU) within the sarcomere, which then allows myosin cross-bridges from the opposing thick filament to bind actin and generate force. The amount of overlap between the filaments dictates how many potential cross-bridges are capable of binding, and thus how force is generated by the sarcomere. Myopathies and atrophy can impair muscle function by limiting cross-bridge interactions between the filaments, which can occur when the length of the thin filament is reduced or when RU function is disrupted. To investigate how variations in thin filament length and RU density affect ensemble cross-bridge behavior and force production, we simulated muscle contraction using a spatially explicit computational model of the half-sarcomere. Thin filament RUs were disabled either uniformly from the pointed end of the filament (to model shorter thin filament length) or randomly throughout the length of the half-sarcomere. Both uniform and random RU 'knockout' schemes decreased overall force generation during maximal and submaximal activation. The random knockout scheme also led to decreased calcium sensitivity and cooperativity of the force-pCa relationship. We also found that the rate of force development slowed with the random RU knockout, compared to the uniform RU knockout or conditions of normal RU activation. These findings imply that the relationship between RU density and force production within the sarcomere involves more complex coordination than simply the raw number of RUs available for myosin cross-bridge binding, and that the spatial pattern in which activatable RU are distributed throughout the sarcomere influences the dynamics of force production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel J Fenwick
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Alexander M Wood
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Bertrand C W Tanner
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
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21
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Mijailovich SM, Prodanovic M, Poggesi C, Geeves MA, Regnier M. Multiscale modeling of twitch contractions in cardiac trabeculae. J Gen Physiol 2021; 153:e202012604. [PMID: 33512405 PMCID: PMC7852458 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202012604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of a cardiac muscle twitch contraction is complex because it requires a detailed understanding of the kinetic processes of the Ca2+ transient, thin-filament activation, and the myosin-actin cross-bridge chemomechanical cycle. Each of these steps has been well defined individually, but understanding how all three of the processes operate in combination is a far more complex problem. Computational modeling has the potential to provide detailed insight into each of these processes, how the dynamics of each process affect the complexity of contractile behavior, and how perturbations such as mutations in sarcomere proteins affect the complex interactions of all of these processes. The mechanisms involved in relaxation of tension during a cardiac twitch have been particularly difficult to discern due to nonhomogeneous sarcomere lengthening during relaxation. Here we use the multiscale MUSICO platform to model rat trabecular twitches. Validation of computational models is dependent on being able to simulate different experimental datasets, but there has been a paucity of data that can provide all of the required parameters in a single experiment, such as simultaneous measurements of force, intracellular Ca2+ transients, and sarcomere length dynamics. In this study, we used data from different studies collected under similar experimental conditions to provide information for all the required parameters. Our simulations established that twitches either in an isometric sarcomere or in fixed-length, multiple-sarcomere trabeculae replicate the experimental observations if models incorporate a length-tension relationship for the nonlinear series elasticity of muscle preparations and a scheme for thick-filament regulation. The thick-filament regulation assumes an off state in which myosin heads are parked onto the thick-filament backbone and are unable to interact with actin, a state analogous to the super-relaxed state. Including these two mechanisms provided simulations that accurately predict twitch contractions over a range of different conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Momcilo Prodanovic
- Bioengineering Research and Development Center, Kragujevac, Serbia
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Corrado Poggesi
- Department of Experimental & Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Michael Regnier
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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22
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Hypothesis: Single Actomyosin Properties Account for Ensemble Behavior in Active Muscle Shortening and Isometric Contraction. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218399. [PMID: 33182367 PMCID: PMC7664901 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Muscle contraction results from cyclic interactions between myosin II motors and actin with two sets of proteins organized in overlapping thick and thin filaments, respectively, in a nearly crystalline lattice in a muscle sarcomere. However, a sarcomere contains a huge number of other proteins, some with important roles in muscle contraction. In particular, these include thin filament proteins, troponin and tropomyosin; thick filament proteins, myosin binding protein C; and the elastic protein, titin, that connects the thin and thick filaments. Furthermore, the order and 3D organization of the myofilament lattice may be important per se for contractile function. It is possible to model muscle contraction based on actin and myosin alone with properties derived in studies using single molecules and biochemical solution kinetics. It is also possible to reproduce several features of muscle contraction in experiments using only isolated actin and myosin, arguing against the importance of order and accessory proteins. Therefore, in this paper, it is hypothesized that “single molecule actomyosin properties account for the contractile properties of a half sarcomere during shortening and isometric contraction at almost saturating Ca concentrations”. In this paper, existing evidence for and against this hypothesis is reviewed and new modeling results to support the arguments are presented. Finally, further experimental tests are proposed, which if they corroborate, at least approximately, the hypothesis, should significantly benefit future effective analysis of a range of experimental studies, as well as drug discovery efforts.
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23
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Malingen SA, Asencio AM, Cass JA, Ma W, Irving TC, Daniel TL. In vivo X-ray diffraction and simultaneous EMG reveal the time course of myofilament lattice dilation and filament stretch. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb224188. [PMID: 32709625 PMCID: PMC7490515 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.224188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Muscle function within an organism depends on the feedback between molecular and meter-scale processes. Although the motions of muscle's contractile machinery are well described in isolated preparations, only a handful of experiments have documented the kinematics of the lattice occurring when multi-scale interactions are fully intact. We used time-resolved X-ray diffraction to record the kinematics of the myofilament lattice within a normal operating context: the tethered flight of Manduca sexta As the primary flight muscles of M.sexta are synchronous, we used these results to reveal the timing of in vivo cross-bridge recruitment, which occurred 24 ms (s.d. 26) following activation. In addition, the thick filaments stretched an average of 0.75% (s.d. 0.32) and thin filaments stretched 1.11% (s.d. 0.65). In contrast to other in vivo preparations, lattice spacing changed an average of 2.72% (s.d. 1.47). Lattice dilation of this magnitude significantly affects shortening velocity and force generation, and filament stretching tunes force generation. While the kinematics were consistent within individual trials, there was extensive variation between trials. Using a mechanism-free machine learning model we searched for patterns within and across trials. Although lattice kinematics were predictable within trials, the model could not create predictions across trials. This indicates that the variability we see across trials may be explained by latent variables occurring in this naturally functioning system. The diverse kinematic combinations we documented mirror muscle's adaptability and may facilitate its robust function in unpredictable conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sage A Malingen
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Anthony M Asencio
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Julie A Cass
- Allen Institute for Cell Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Weikang Ma
- BioCAT, Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
| | - Thomas C Irving
- BioCAT, Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
| | - Thomas L Daniel
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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24
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Culver D, Glaz B, Stanton S. A Dynamic Escape Problem of Molecular Motors. J Biomech Eng 2020; 142:051004. [PMID: 31513699 DOI: 10.1115/1.4044580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Animal skeletal muscle exhibits very interesting behavior at near-stall forces (when the muscle is loaded so strongly that it can barely contract). Near this physical limit, the myosin II proteins may be unable to reach advantageous actin binding sites through simple attractive forces. It has been shown that the advantageous utilization of thermal agitation is a likely source for an increased force-production capacity and reach in myosin-V (a processing motor protein), and here we explore the dynamics of a molecular motor without hand-over-hand motion including Brownian motion to show how local elastic energy well boundaries may be overcome. We revisit a spatially two-dimensional mechanical model to illustrate how thermal agitation can be harvested for useful mechanical work in molecular machinery inspired by this biomechanical phenomenon without rate functions or empirically inspired spatial potential functions. Additionally, the model accommodates variable lattice spacing, and it paves the way for a full three-dimensional model of cross-bridge interactions where myosin II may be azimuthally misaligned with actin binding sites. With potential energy sources based entirely on realizable components, this model lends itself to the design of artificial, molecular-scale motors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Culver
- U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Vehicle Technology Directorate, Interdisciplinary Mechanics Group, Aberdeen, MD 21001
| | - Bryan Glaz
- U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Vehicle Technology Directorate, Interdisciplinary Mechanics Group, Aberdeen, MD 21001
| | - Samuel Stanton
- U.S. Army Research Office, Engineering Sciences Directorate, Complex Systems and Dynamics, Durham, NC 27703
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25
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Kalda M, Vendelin M. Cardiac muscle regulatory units are predicted to interact stronger than neighboring cross-bridges. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5530. [PMID: 32218497 PMCID: PMC7099078 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62452-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Strong interactions between cross-bridges (XB) and regulatory units (RU) lead to a steep response of cardiac muscle to an increase in intracellular calcium. We developed a model to quantitatively assess the influence of different types of interactions within the sarcomere on the properties of cardiac muscle. In the model, the ensembles consisting of cross-bridge groups connected by elastic tropomyosin are introduced, and their dynamics is described by a set of partial differential equations. Through large scans in the free energy landscape, we demonstrate the different influence of RU-RU, XB-XB, and XB-RU interactions on the cooperativity coefficient of calcium binding, developed maximal force, and calcium sensitivity. The model solution was fitted to reproduce experimental data on force development during isometric contraction, shortening in physiological contraction, and ATP consumption by acto-myosin. On the basis of the fits, we quantified the free energy change introduced through RU-RU and XB-XB interactions and showed that RU-RU interaction leads to ~ 5 times larger change in the free energy profile of the reaction than XB-XB interaction. Due to the deterministic description of muscle contraction and its thermodynamic consistency, we envision that the developed model can be used to study heart muscle biophysics on tissue and organ levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Kalda
- Laboratory of Systems Biology, Department of Cybernetics, School of Science, Tallinn University of Technology, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Marko Vendelin
- Laboratory of Systems Biology, Department of Cybernetics, School of Science, Tallinn University of Technology, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia.
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26
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Straight CR, Bell KM, Slosberg JN, Miller MS, Swank DM. A myosin-based mechanism for stretch activation and its possible role revealed by varying phosphate concentration in fast and slow mouse skeletal muscle fibers. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2019; 317:C1143-C1152. [PMID: 31532715 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00206.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Stretch activation (SA) is a delayed increase in force following a rapid muscle length increase. SA is best known for its role in asynchronous insect flight muscle, where it has replaced calcium's typical role of modulating muscle force levels during a contraction cycle. SA also occurs in mammalian skeletal muscle but has previously been thought to be too low in magnitude, relative to calcium-activated (CA) force, to be a significant contributor to force generation during locomotion. To test this supposition, we compared SA and CA force at different Pi concentrations (0-16 mM) in skinned mouse soleus (slow-twitch) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL; fast-twitch) muscle fibers. CA isometric force decreased similarly in both muscles with increasing Pi, as expected. SA force decreased with Pi in EDL (40%), leaving the SA to CA force ratio relatively constant across Pi concentrations (17-25%). In contrast, SA force increased in soleus (42%), causing a quadrupling of the SA to CA force ratio, from 11% at 0 mM Pi to 43% at 16 mM Pi, showing that SA is a significant force modulator in slow-twitch mammalian fibers. This modulation would be most prominent during prolonged muscle use, which increases Pi concentration and impairs calcium cycling. Based upon our previous Drosophila myosin isoform studies and this work, we propose that in slow-twitch fibers a rapid stretch in the presence of Pi reverses myosin's power stroke, enabling quick rebinding to actin and enhanced force production, while in fast-twitch fibers, stretch and Pi cause myosin to detach from actin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad R Straight
- Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Kaylyn M Bell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
| | - Jared N Slosberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
| | - Mark S Miller
- Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Douglas M Swank
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
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27
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Chase PB. Elastic domains of giant proteins in striated muscle: Modeling compliance with rulers. J Gen Physiol 2019; 151:619-622. [PMID: 30975697 PMCID: PMC6504283 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201912345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chase examines a study using the MUSICO model of striated muscle to evaluate the function of giant elastic proteins titin and nebulin.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Bryant Chase
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
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28
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Mijailovich SM, Stojanovic B, Nedic D, Svicevic M, Geeves MA, Irving TC, Granzier HL. Nebulin and titin modulate cross-bridge cycling and length-dependent calcium sensitivity. J Gen Physiol 2019; 151:680-704. [PMID: 30948421 PMCID: PMC6504291 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201812165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Various mutations in the structural proteins nebulin and titin that are present in human disease are known to affect the contractility of striated muscle. Loss of nebulin is associated with reduced actin filament length and impairment of myosin binding to actin, whereas titin is thought to regulate muscle passive elasticity and is likely involved in length-dependent activation. Here, we sought to assess the modulation of muscle function by these sarcomeric proteins by using the computational platform muscle simulation code (MUSICO) to quantitatively separate the effects of structural changes, kinetics of cross-bridge cycling, and calcium sensitivity of the thin filaments. The simulations show that variation in thin filament length cannot by itself account for experimental observations of the contractility in nebulin-deficient muscle, but instead must be accompanied by a decreased myosin binding rate. Additionally, to match the observed calcium sensitivity, the rate of TnI detachment from actin needed to be increased. Simulations for cardiac muscle provided quantitative estimates of the effects of different titin-based passive elasticities on muscle force and activation in response to changes in sarcomere length and interfilament lattice spacing. Predicted force-pCa relations showed a decrease in both active tension and sensitivity to calcium with a decrease in passive tension and sarcomere length. We conclude that this behavior is caused by partial redistribution of the muscle load between active muscle force and titin-dependent passive force, and also by redistribution of stretch along the thin filament, which together modulate the release of TnI from actin. These data help advance understanding of how nebulin and titin mutations affect muscle function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srboljub M Mijailovich
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA .,Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
| | - Boban Stojanovic
- University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Djordje Nedic
- University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Marina Svicevic
- University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Michael A Geeves
- Department of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK
| | - Thomas C Irving
- Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
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Månsson A. Comparing models with one versus multiple myosin-binding sites per actin target zone: The power of simplicity. J Gen Physiol 2019; 151:578-592. [PMID: 30872560 PMCID: PMC6445577 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201812301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanokinetic statistical models describe the mechanisms of muscle contraction on the basis of the average behavior of a large ensemble of actin-myosin motors. Such models often assume that myosin II motor domains bind to regularly spaced, discrete target zones along the actin-based thin filaments and develop force in a series of strain-dependent transitions under the turnover of ATP. The simplest models assume that there is just one myosin-binding site per target zone and a uniform spatial distribution of the myosin motor domains in relation to each site. However, most of the recently developed models assume three myosin-binding sites per target zone, and some models include a spatially explicit 3-D treatment of the myofilament lattice and thereby of the geometry of the actin-myosin contact points. Here, I show that the predictions for steady-state contractile behavior of muscle are very similar whether one or three myosin-binding sites per target zone is assumed, provided that the model responses are appropriately scaled to the number of sites. Comparison of the model predictions for isometrically contracting mammalian muscle cells suggests that each target zone contains three or more myosin-binding sites. Finally, I discuss the strengths and weaknesses of one-site spatially inexplicit models in relation to three-site models, including those that take into account the detailed 3-D geometry of the myofilament lattice. The results of this study suggest that single-site models, with reduced computational cost compared with multisite models, are useful for several purposes, e.g., facilitated molecular mechanistic insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alf Månsson
- Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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30
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Holt NC. Beyond bouncy gaits: The role of multiscale compliance in skeletal muscle performance. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2019; 333:50-59. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie C. Holt
- Department of Biological Sciences; Northern Arizona University; Flagstaff Arizona
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31
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Niederer SA, Campbell KS, Campbell SG. A short history of the development of mathematical models of cardiac mechanics. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2019; 127:11-19. [PMID: 30503754 PMCID: PMC6525149 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2018.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac mechanics plays a crucial role in atrial and ventricular function, in the regulation of growth and remodelling, in the progression of disease, and the response to treatment. The spatial scale of the critical mechanisms ranges from nm (molecules) to cm (hearts) with the fastest events occurring in milliseconds (molecular events) and the slowest requiring months (growth and remodelling). Due to its complexity and importance, cardiac mechanics has been studied extensively both experimentally and through mathematical models and simulation. Models of cardiac mechanics evolved from seminal studies in skeletal muscle, and developed into cardiac specific, species specific, human specific and finally patient specific calculations. These models provide a formal framework to link multiple experimental assays recorded over nearly 100 years into a single unified representation of cardiac function. This review first provides a summary of the proteins, physiology and anatomy involved in the generation of cardiac pump function. We then describe the evolution of models of cardiac mechanics starting with the early theoretical frameworks describing the link between sarcomeres and muscle contraction, transitioning through myosin-level models to calcium-driven systems, and ending with whole heart patient-specific models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth S Campbell
- Department of Physiology and Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
| | - Stuart G Campbell
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, USA
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32
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Robinett JC, Hanft LM, Geist J, Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos A, McDonald KS. Regulation of myofilament force and loaded shortening by skeletal myosin binding protein C. J Gen Physiol 2019; 151:645-659. [PMID: 30705121 PMCID: PMC6504288 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201812200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Myosin binding protein C (MyBP-C) is thought to regulate the contraction of skeletal muscle. Robinett et al. show that phosphorylation of slow skeletal MyBP-C modulates contraction by recruiting cross-bridges, modifying cross-bridge kinetics, and altering internal drag forces in the C-zone. Myosin binding protein C (MyBP-C) is a 125–140-kD protein located in the C-zone of each half-thick filament. It is thought to be an important regulator of contraction, but its precise role is unclear. Here we investigate mechanisms by which skeletal MyBP-C regulates myofilament function using rat permeabilized skeletal muscle fibers. We mount either slow-twitch or fast-twitch skeletal muscle fibers between a force transducer and motor, use Ca2+ to activate a range of forces, and measure contractile properties including transient force overshoot, rate of force development, and loaded sarcomere shortening. The transient force overshoot is greater in slow-twitch than fast-twitch fibers at all Ca2+ activation levels. In slow-twitch fibers, protein kinase A (PKA) treatment (a) augments phosphorylation of slow skeletal MyBP-C (sMyBP-C), (b) doubles the magnitude of the relative transient force overshoot at low Ca2+ activation levels, and (c) increases force development rates at all Ca2+ activation levels. We also investigate the role that phosphorylated and dephosphorylated sMyBP-C plays in loaded sarcomere shortening. We test the hypothesis that MyBP-C acts as a brake to filament sliding within the myofilament lattice by measuring sarcomere shortening as thin filaments traverse into the C-zone during lightly loaded slow-twitch fiber contractions. Before PKA treatment, shortening velocity decelerates as sarcomeres traverse from ∼3.10 to ∼3.00 µm. After PKA treatment, sarcomeres shorten a greater distance and exhibit less deceleration during similar force clamps. After sMyBP-C dephosphorylation, sarcomere length traces display a brief recoil (i.e., “bump”) that initiates at ∼3.06 µm during loaded shortening. Interestingly, the timing of the bump shifts with changes in load but manifests at the same sarcomere length. Our results suggest that sMyBP-C and its phosphorylation state regulate sarcomere contraction by a combination of cross-bridge recruitment, modification of cross-bridge cycling kinetics, and alteration of drag forces that originate in the C-zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel C Robinett
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
| | - Laurin M Hanft
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
| | - Janelle Geist
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Kerry S McDonald
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
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33
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Powers JD, Williams CD, Regnier M, Daniel TL. A Spatially Explicit Model Shows How Titin Stiffness Modulates Muscle Mechanics and Energetics. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:186-193. [PMID: 29897447 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In striated muscle, the giant protein titin spans the entire length of a half-sarcomere and extends from the backbone of the thick filament, reversibly attaches to the thin filaments, and anchors to the dense protein network of the z-disk capping the end of the half-sarcomere. However, little is known about the relationship between the basic mechanical properties of titin and muscle contractility. Here, we build upon our previous multi-filament, spatially explicit computational model of the half-sarcomere by incorporating the nonlinear mechanics of titin filaments in the I-band. We vary parameters of the nonlinearity to understand the effects of titin stiffness on contraction dynamics and efficiency. We do so by simulating isometric contraction for a range of sarcomere lengths (SLs; 1.6-3.25 µm). Intermediate values of titin stiffness accurately reproduce the passive force-SL relation for skeletal muscle. The maximum force-SL relation is not affected by titin for SL≤2.5 µm. However, as titin stiffness increases, maximum force for the four thick filament system at SL = 3.0 µm significantly decreases from 103.2 ± 2 to 58.8 ± 1 pN. Additionally, by monitoring ATP consumption, we measure contraction efficiency as a function of titin stiffness. We find that at SL = 3.0 µm, efficiency significantly decreases from 13.9 ± 0.4 to 7.0 ± 0.3 pN/ATP when increasing titin stiffness, with little or no effect below 2.5 µm. Taken together, our results suggest that, despite an increase in the fraction of motors bound to actin along the descending limb when titin is stiffer, the force-generating capacity of the motors is reduced. These results suggest that titin stiffness has the potential to affect contractile efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph D Powers
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 3720 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | | | - Michael Regnier
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 3720 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Thomas L Daniel
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 3720 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Department of Biology, 24 Kincaid Hall, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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34
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Ma W, Gong H, Kiss B, Lee EJ, Granzier H, Irving T. Thick-Filament Extensibility in Intact Skeletal Muscle. Biophys J 2018; 115:1580-1588. [PMID: 30266320 PMCID: PMC6196444 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.08.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Myofilament extensibility is a key structural parameter for interpreting myosin cross-bridge kinetics in striated muscle. Previous studies reported much higher thick-filament extensibility at low tension than the better-known and commonly used values at high tension, but in interpreting mechanical studies of muscle, a single value for thick-filament extensibility has usually been assumed. Here, we established the complete thick-filament force-extension curve from actively contracting, intact vertebrate skeletal muscle. To access a wide range of tetanic forces, the myosin inhibitor blebbistatin was used to induce low tetanic forces in addition to the higher tensions obtained from tetanic contractions of the untreated muscle. We show that the force/extensibility curve of the thick filament is nonlinear, so assuming a single value for thick-filament extensibility at all force levels is not justified. We also show that independent of whether tension is generated passively by sarcomere stretch or actively by cross-bridges, the thick-filament extensibility is nonlinear. Myosin head periodicity, however, only changes when active tension is generated under calcium-activated conditions. The nonlinear thick-filament force-extension curve in skeletal muscle, therefore, reflects a purely passive response to either titin-based force or actomyosin-based force, and it does not include a thick-filament activation mechanism. In contrast, the transition of myosin head periodicity to an active configuration appears to only occur in response to increased active force when calcium is present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weikang Ma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Henry Gong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Balázs Kiss
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Eun-Jeong Lee
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Henk Granzier
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Thomas Irving
- Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois.
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35
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Kawai M, Karam TS, Kolb J, Wang L, Granzier HL. Nebulin increases thin filament stiffness and force per cross-bridge in slow-twitch soleus muscle fibers. J Gen Physiol 2018; 150:1510-1522. [PMID: 30301869 PMCID: PMC6219688 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201812104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Nebulin stabilizes the thin filament and regulates force generation in skeletal muscle, but its precise role is not understood. Using conditional knockout mice, Kawai et al. demonstrate that nebulin functions to increase the force per cross-bridge in skinned slow-twitch soleus muscle fibers. Nebulin (Neb) is associated with the thin filament in skeletal muscle cells, but its functions are not well understood. For this goal, we study skinned slow-twitch soleus muscle fibers from wild-type (Neb+) and conditional Neb knockout (Neb−) mice. We characterize cross-bridge (CB) kinetics and the elementary steps of the CB cycle by sinusoidal analysis during full Ca2+ activation and observe that Neb increases active tension 1.9-fold, active stiffness 2.7-fold, and rigor stiffness 3.0-fold. The ratio of stiffness during activation and rigor states is 62% in Neb+ fibers and 68% in Neb− fibers. These are approximately proportionate to the number of strongly attached CBs during activation. Because the thin filament length is 15% shorter in Neb− fibers than in Neb+ fibers, the increase in force per CB in the presence of Neb is ∼1.5 fold. The equilibrium constant of the CB detachment step (K2), its rate (k2), and the rate of the reverse force generation step (k−4) are larger in Neb+ fibers than in Neb− fibers. The rates of the force generation step (k4) and the reversal detachment step (k−2) change in the opposite direction. These effects can be explained by Le Chatelier’s principle: Increased CB strain promotes less force-generating state(s) and/or detached state(s). Further, when CB distributions among the six states are calculated, there is no significant difference in the number of strongly attached CBs between fibers with and without Neb. These results demonstrate that Neb increases force per CB. We also confirm that force is generated by isomerization of actomyosin (AM) from the AM.ADP.Pi state (ADP, adenosine diphophate; Pi, phosphate) to the AM*ADP.Pi state, where the same force is maintained after Pi release to result in the AM*ADP state. We propose that Neb changes the actin (and myosin) conformation for better ionic and hydrophobic/stereospecific AM interaction, and that the effect of Neb is similar to that of tropomyosin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masataka Kawai
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, and Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Tarek S Karam
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, and Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Justin Kolb
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
| | - Li Wang
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, and Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.,School of Nursing, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Henk L Granzier
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
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36
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High tension in sarcomeres hinders myocardial relaxation: A computational study. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204642. [PMID: 30286135 PMCID: PMC6171862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Experiments have shown that the relaxation phase of cardiac sarcomeres during an isometric twitch is prolonged in muscles that reached a higher peak tension. However, the mechanism is not completely understood. We hypothesize that the binding of calcium to troponin is enhanced by the tension in the thin filament, thus contributing to the prolongation of contraction upon higher peak tension generation. To test this hypothesis, we developed a computational model of sarcomere mechanics that incorporates tension-dependence of calcium binding. The model was used to simulate isometric twitch experiments with time dependency in the form of a two-state cross-bridge cycle model and a transient intracellular calcium concentration. In the simulations, peak isometric twitch tension appeared to increase linearly by 51.1 KPa with sarcomere length from 1.9 μm to 2.2 μm. Experiments showed an increase of 47.3 KPa over the same range of sarcomere lengths. The duration of the twitch also increased with both sarcomere length and peak intracellular calcium concentration, likely to be induced by the inherently coupled increase of the peak tension in the thin filament. In the model simulations, the time to 50% relaxation (tR50) increased over the range of sarcomere lengths from 1.9 μm to 2.2 μm by 0.11s, comparable to the increased duration of 0.12s shown in experiments. Model simulated tR50 increased by 0.12s over the range of peak intracellular calcium concentrations from 0.87 μM to 1.45 μM. Our simulation results suggest that the prolongation of contraction at higher tension is a result of the tighter binding of Ca2+ to troponin in areas under higher tension, thus delaying the deactivation of the troponin.
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37
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Gonzalez-Martinez D, Johnston JR, Landim-Vieira M, Ma W, Antipova O, Awan O, Irving TC, Bryant Chase P, Pinto JR. Structural and functional impact of troponin C-mediated Ca 2+ sensitization on myofilament lattice spacing and cross-bridge mechanics in mouse cardiac muscle. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2018; 123:26-37. [PMID: 30138628 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2018.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Acto-myosin cross-bridge kinetics are important for beat-to-beat regulation of cardiac contractility; however, physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms for regulation of contractile kinetics are incompletely understood. Here we explored whether thin filament-mediated Ca2+ sensitization influences cross-bridge kinetics in permeabilized, osmotically compressed cardiac muscle preparations. We used a murine model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) harboring a cardiac troponin C (cTnC) Ca2+-sensitizing mutation, Ala8Val in the regulatory N-domain. We also treated wild-type murine muscle with bepridil, a cTnC-targeting Ca2+ sensitizer. Our findings suggest that both methods of increasing myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity increase cross-bridge cycling rate measured by the rate of tension redevelopment (kTR); force per cross-bridge was also enhanced as measured by sinusoidal stiffness and I1,1/I1,0 ratio from X-ray diffraction. Computational modeling suggests that Ca2+ sensitization through this cTnC mutation or bepridil accelerates kTR primarily by promoting faster cross-bridge detachment. To elucidate if myofilament structural rearrangements are associated with changes in kTR, we used small angle X-ray diffraction to simultaneously measure myofilament lattice spacing and isometric force during steady-state Ca2+ activations. Within in vivo lattice dimensions, lattice spacing and steady-state isometric force increased significantly at submaximal activation. We conclude that the cTnC N-domain controls force by modulating both the number and rate of cycling cross-bridges, and that the both methods of Ca2+ sensitization may act through stabilization of cTnC's D-helix. Furthermore, we propose that the transient expansion of the myofilament lattice during Ca2+ activation may be an additional factor that could increase the rate of cross-bridge cycling in cardiac muscle. These findings may have implications for the pathophysiology of HCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Gonzalez-Martinez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Jamie R Johnston
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Maicon Landim-Vieira
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Weikang Ma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Olga Antipova
- Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA; X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA
| | - Omar Awan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Thomas C Irving
- Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - P Bryant Chase
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - J Renato Pinto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
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38
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Holt NC, Williams CD. Can Strain Dependent Inhibition of Cross-Bridge Binding Explain Shifts in Optimum Muscle Length? Integr Comp Biol 2018; 58:174-185. [PMID: 29873724 PMCID: PMC6104710 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle force is generated by cross-bridge interactions between the overlapping contractile proteins, actin and myosin. The geometry of this overlap gives us the force-length relationship in which maximum isometric force is generated at an intermediate, optimum, length. However, the force-length relationship is not constant; optimum length increases with decreasing muscle activation. This effect is not predicted from actin-myosin overlap. Here we present evidence that this activation-dependent shift in optimum length may be due to a series compliance within muscles. As muscles generate force during fixed-end contractions, fibers shorten against series compliance until forces equilibrate and they become isometric. Shortening against series-compliance is proportional to activation, and creates conditions under which shortening-induced force depression may suppress full force development. Greater shortening will result in greater force depression. Hence, optimum length may decrease as activation rises due to greater fiber shortening. We discuss explanations of such history dependence, giving a review of previously proposed processes and suggesting a novel mechanistic explanation for the most likely candidate process based on tropomyosin kinetics. We suggest this mechanism could change the relationship between actin-myosin overlap and cross-bridge binding potential, not only depressing force at any given length, but also altering the relationship between force and length. This would have major consequences for our understanding of in vivo muscle performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- N C Holt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, S. San Francisco Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - C D Williams
- Allen Institute for Cell Science, 615 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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39
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Force-Dependent Recruitment from the Myosin Off State Contributes to Length-Dependent Activation. Biophys J 2018; 115:543-553. [PMID: 30054031 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac muscle develops more force when it is activated at longer lengths. The concentration of Ca2+ required to develop half-maximal force also decreases. These effects are known as length-dependent activation and are thought to play critical roles in the Frank-Starling relationship and cardiovascular homeostasis. The molecular mechanisms underpinning length-dependent activation remain unclear, but recent experiments suggest that they may include recruitment of myosin heads from the off (sometimes called super-relaxed) state. This manuscript presents a mathematical model of muscle contraction that was developed to investigate this hypothesis. Myosin heads in the model transitioned between an off state (that could not interact with actin), an on state (that could bind to actin), and a single attached state. Simulations were fitted to experimental data using multidimensional parameter optimization. Statistical analysis showed that a model in which the rate of the off-to-on transition increased linearly with force reproduced the length-dependent behavior of chemically permeabilized myocardium better than a model with a constant off-to-on transition rate (F-test, p < 0.001). This result suggests that the thick-filament transitions are modulated by force. Additional calculations showed that the model incorporating a mechanosensitive thick filament could also reproduce twitch responses measured in a trabecula stretched to different lengths. A final set of simulations was then used to test the model. These calculations predicted how reducing passive stiffness would impact the length dependence of the calcium sensitivity of contractile force. The prediction (a 60% reduction in ΔpCa50) mimicked the 58% reduction in ΔpCa50 in myocardium from rats that expressed a giant isoform of titin and had low resting tension. Together, these computational results suggest that force-dependent recruitment of myosin heads from the thick-filament off state contributes to length-dependent activation and the Frank-Starling relationship.
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40
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Herzog W. Why are muscles strong, and why do they require little energy in eccentric action? JOURNAL OF SPORT AND HEALTH SCIENCE 2018; 7:255-264. [PMID: 30356622 PMCID: PMC6189244 DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
It is well acknowledged that muscles that are elongated while activated (i.e., eccentric muscle action) are stronger and require less energy (per unit of force) than muscles that are shortening (i.e., concentric contraction) or that remain at a constant length (i.e., isometric contraction). Although the cross-bridge theory of muscle contraction provides a good explanation for the increase in force in active muscle lengthening, it does not explain the residual increase in force following active lengthening (residual force enhancement), or except with additional assumptions, the reduced metabolic requirement of muscle during and following active stretch. Aside from the cross-bridge theory, 2 other primary explanations for the mechanical properties of actively stretched muscles have emerged: (1) the so-called sarcomere length nonuniformity theory and (2) the engagement of a passive structural element theory. In this article, these theories are discussed, and it is shown that the last of these-the engagement of a passive structural element in eccentric muscle action-offers a simple and complete explanation for many hitherto unexplained observations in actively lengthening muscle. Although by no means fully proven, the theory has great appeal for its simplicity and beauty, and even if over time it is shown to be wrong, it nevertheless forms a useful framework for direct hypothesis testing.
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41
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Williams CD, Holt NC. Spatial Scale and Structural Heterogeneity in Skeletal Muscle Performance. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 58:163-173. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- C D Williams
- Allen Institute for Cell Science, 615 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - N C Holt
- Department of Biology, Northern Arizona University, S. San Francisco Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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Fenwick AJ, Wood AM, Tanner BCW. Effects of cross-bridge compliance on the force-velocity relationship and muscle power output. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0190335. [PMID: 29284062 PMCID: PMC5746261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Muscles produce force and power by utilizing chemical energy through ATP hydrolysis. During concentric contractions (shortening), muscles generate less force compared to isometric contractions, but consume greater amounts of energy as shortening velocity increases. Conversely, more force is generated and less energy is consumed during eccentric muscle contractions (lengthening). This relationship between force, energy use, and the velocity of contraction has important implications for understanding muscle efficiency, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this behavior remain poorly understood. Here we used spatially-explicit, multi-filament models of Ca2+-regulated force production within a half-sarcomere to simulate how force production, energy utilization, and the number of bound cross-bridges are affected by dynamic changes in sarcomere length. These computational simulations show that cross-bridge binding increased during slow-velocity concentric and eccentric contractions, compared to isometric contractions. Over the full ranges of velocities that we simulated, cross-bridge cycling and energy utilization (i.e. ATPase rates) increased during shortening, and decreased during lengthening. These findings are consistent with the Fenn effect, but arise from a complicated relationship between velocity-dependent cross-bridge recruitment and cross-bridge cycling kinetics. We also investigated how force production, power output, and energy utilization varied with cross-bridge and myofilament compliance, which is impossible to address under typical experimental conditions. These important simulations show that increasing cross-bridge compliance resulted in greater cross-bridge binding and ATPase activity, but less force was generated per cross-bridge and throughout the sarcomere. These data indicate that the efficiency of force production decreases in a velocity-dependent manner, and that this behavior is sensitive to cross-bridge compliance. In contrast, significant effects of myofilament compliance on force production were only observed during isometric contractions, suggesting that changes in myofilament compliance may not influence power output during non-isometric contractions as greatly as changes in cross-bridge compliance. These findings advance our understanding of how cross-bridge and myofilament properties underlie velocity-dependent changes in contractile efficiency during muscle movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel J. Fenwick
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Alexander M. Wood
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Bertrand C. W. Tanner
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Grant J, McNeil CJ, Bent LR, Power GA. Torque depression following active shortening is associated with a modulation of cortical and spinal excitation: a history-dependent study. Physiol Rep 2017; 5:5/15/e13367. [PMID: 28807991 PMCID: PMC5555893 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The reduction in steady-state isometric torque following a shortening muscle action when compared to a purely isometric contraction at the same muscle length and level of activation is termed torque depression (TD). The purpose of this study was to investigate spinal and supraspinal neural responses during the TD state of a maximal voluntary activation of the ankle dorsiflexors. Thirteen subjects (10 male) were recruited for the study. To explore alterations in corticospinal excitability during voluntary muscle activation in the TD state, motor evoked potentials (MEPs), cervicomedullary motor evoked potentials (CMEPs), and maximal compound muscle action potentials (Mmax) were elicited during the isometric steady-state following active shortening (i.e., TD) and the purely isometric condition. A 15% reduction in steady-state isometric torque (P < 0.05) was observed following isokinetic shortening at 40°/sec. Although mean evoked responses (MEP and CMEP) were not different in the TD state as compared with purely isometric state, the changes in evoked responses were inversely related to one another depending on the level of TD These findings indicate that supraspinal and spinal responses are interrelated in the TD state. Furthermore, antagonist muscle coactivation during the isometric reference contraction was positively related to TD These findings suggest the possibility of a relationship between the central nervous system and TD in humans. Further work should be performed to definitively link TD to specific spinal interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Grant
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chris J McNeil
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Leah R Bent
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Geoffrey A Power
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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Campbell KS. Compliance Accelerates Relaxation in Muscle by Allowing Myosin Heads to Move Relative to Actin. Biophys J 2017; 110:661-668. [PMID: 26840730 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Revised: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms that limit the speed at which striated muscles relax are poorly understood. This work presents, to our knowledge, novel simulations that show that the time course of relaxation is accelerated by interfilamentary movement resulting from series compliance; force drops faster when myosin heads move relative to actin during relaxation. This insight was obtained by using cross-bridge distribution techniques to simulate the mechanical behavior of half-sarcomeres that were connected in series with springs of varying stiffness. (The springs mimic the combined effects of half-sarcomere heterogeneity and muscle's series elastic component.) Half-sarcomeres that shortened by >∼10 nm when they were activated subsequently relaxed with a biphasic profile; force initially declined slowly and approximately linearly before collapsing with a fast exponential time course. Stretches imposed during the linear phase quickened relaxation, while shortening movements prolonged the time course. These predictions are consistent with data from experiments performed by many other groups using single muscle fibers and isolated myofibrils. When half-sarcomeres were linked to stiff springs (so that they did not shorten appreciably during the simulations), force relaxed with a slow exponential time course and did not show biphasic behavior. Together, these results suggest that fast relaxation of striated muscle is an emergent property that reflects multiscale interactions within the muscle architecture. The nonlinear behavior during relaxation reflects perturbations to the dynamic coupling of regulated binding sites and cycling myosin heads that are induced by interfilamentary movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth S Campbell
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.
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Joumaa V, Fitzowich A, Herzog W. Energy cost of isometric force production after active shortening in skinned muscle fibres. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:1509-1515. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.117622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The steady state isometric force after active shortening of a skeletal muscle is lower than the purely isometric force at the corresponding length. This property of skeletal muscle is known as force depression. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the energy cost of force production at the steady state after active shortening was reduced compared to the energy cost of force production for a purely isometric contraction performed at the corresponding length (same length, same activation). Experiments were performed in skinned fibres isolated from rabbit psoas muscle. Skinned fibres were actively shortened from an average sarcomere length of 3.0 µm to an average sarcomere length of 2.4 µm. Purely isometric reference contractions were performed at an average sarcomere length of 2.4 µm. Simultaneously with the force measurements, the ATP cost was measured during the last 30 seconds of isometric contractions using an enzyme-coupled assay. Stiffness was calculated during a quick stretch-release cycle of 0.2% fibre length performed once the steady state had been reached after active shortening and during the purely isometric reference contractions. Force and stiffness following active shortening were decreased by 10.0±1.8% and 11.0±2.2%, respectively compared to the isometric reference contractions. Similarly, ATPase activity per second (not normalized to the force) showed a decrease of 15.6±3.0% in the force depressed state compared to the purely isometric reference state. However, ATPase activity per second per unit of force was similar for the isometric contractions following active shortening (28.7±2.4 mM/mN.s.mm3) and the corresponding purely isometric reference contraction (30.9±2.8 mM/mN.s.mm3). Furthermore, the reduction in absolute ATPase activity per second was significantly correlated with force depression and stiffness depression. These results are in accordance with the idea that force depression following active shortening is primarily caused by a decrease in the proportion of attached cross bridges. Furthermore, these findings, along with previously reported results showing a decrease in ATP consumption per unit of force after active muscle stretching, suggest that the mechanisms involved in the steady state force after active muscle shortening and active muscle lengthening are of distinctly different origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. Joumaa
- Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - A. Fitzowich
- Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - W. Herzog
- Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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L71F mutation in rat cardiac troponin T augments crossbridge recruitment and detachment dynamics against α-myosin heavy chain, but not against β-myosin heavy chain. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 2016; 37:215-223. [PMID: 27975185 DOI: 10.1007/s10974-016-9460-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The N-terminal extension of human cardiac troponin T (TnT), which modulates myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity, contains several hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)-causing mutations including S69F. However, the functional consequence of S69F mutation is unknown. The human analog of S69F in rat TnT is L71F (TnTL71F). Because the functional consequences due to structural changes in the N-terminal extension are influenced by the type of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform, we hypothesized that the TnTL71F-mediated effect would be differently modulated by α- and β-MHC isoforms. TnTL71F and wild-type rat TnT were reconstituted into de-membranated muscle fibers from normal (α-MHC) and propylthiouracil-treated rat hearts (β-MHC) to measure steady-state and dynamic contractile parameters. The magnitude of the TnTL71F-mediated attenuation of Ca2+-activated maximal tension was greater in α- than in β-MHC fibers. For example, TnTL71F attenuated maximal tension by 31% in α-MHC fibers but only by 10% in β-MHC fibers. Furthermore, TnTL71F reduced myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity by 0.11 pCa units in α-MHC fibers but only by 0.05 pCa units in β-MHC fibers. TnTL71F augmented rate constants of crossbridge recruitment and crossbridge detachment dynamics in α-MHC fibers but not in β-MHC fibers. Collectively, our data demonstrate that TnTL71F induces greater contractile deficits against α-MHC than against β-MHC background.
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Mijailovich SM, Kayser-Herold O, Stojanovic B, Nedic D, Irving TC, Geeves MA. Three-dimensional stochastic model of actin-myosin binding in the sarcomere lattice. J Gen Physiol 2016; 148:459-488. [PMID: 27864330 PMCID: PMC5129740 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201611608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of molecule tethering in three-dimensional (3-D) space on bimolecular binding kinetics is rarely addressed and only occasionally incorporated into models of cell motility. The simplest system that can quantitatively determine this effect is the 3-D sarcomere lattice of the striated muscle, where tethered myosin in thick filaments can only bind to a relatively small number of available sites on the actin filament, positioned within a limited range of thermal movement of the myosin head. Here we implement spatially explicit actomyosin interactions into the multiscale Monte Carlo platform MUSICO, specifically defining how geometrical constraints on tethered myosins can modulate state transition rates in the actomyosin cycle. The simulations provide the distribution of myosin bound to sites on actin, ensure conservation of the number of interacting myosins and actin monomers, and most importantly, the departure in behavior of tethered myosin molecules from unconstrained myosin interactions with actin. In addition, MUSICO determines the number of cross-bridges in each actomyosin cycle state, the force and number of attached cross-bridges per myosin filament, the range of cross-bridge forces and accounts for energy consumption. At the macroscopic scale, MUSICO simulations show large differences in predicted force-velocity curves and in the response during early force recovery phase after a step change in length comparing to the two simplest mass action kinetic models. The origin of these differences is rooted in the different fluxes of myosin binding and corresponding instantaneous cross-bridge distributions and quantitatively reflects a major flaw of the mathematical description in all mass action kinetic models. Consequently, this new approach shows that accurate recapitulation of experimental data requires significantly different binding rates, number of actomyosin states, and cross-bridge elasticity than typically used in mass action kinetic models to correctly describe the biochemical reactions of tethered molecules and their interaction energetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srboljub M Mijailovich
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 021115
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Oliver Kayser-Herold
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Boban Stojanovic
- Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Djordje Nedic
- Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Thomas C Irving
- Department of Biology, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616
| | - Michael A Geeves
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NJ, England, UK
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Mechano-chemical Interactions in Cardiac Sarcomere Contraction: A Computational Modeling Study. PLoS Comput Biol 2016; 12:e1005126. [PMID: 27716775 PMCID: PMC5055322 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We developed a model of cardiac sarcomere contraction to study the calcium-tension relationship in cardiac muscle. Calcium mediates cardiac contraction through its interactions with troponin (Tn) and subsequently tropomyosin molecules. Experimental studies have shown that a slight increase in intracellular calcium concentration leads to a rapid increase in sarcomeric tension. Though it is widely accepted that the rapid increase is not possible without the concept of cooperativity, the mechanism is debated. We use the hypothesis that there exists a base level of cooperativity intrinsic to the thin filament that is boosted by mechanical tension, i.e. a high level of mechanical tension in the thin filament impedes the unbinding of calcium from Tn. To test these hypotheses, we developed a computational model in which a set of three parameters and inputs of calcium concentration and sarcomere length result in output tension. Tension as simulated appeared in good agreement with experimentally measured tension. Our results support the hypothesis that high tension in the thin filament impedes Tn deactivation by increasing the energy required to detach calcium from the Tn. Given this hypothesis, the model predicted that the areas with highest tension, i.e. closest to the Z-disk end of the single overlap region, show the largest concentration of active Tn's.
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Marcucci L, Reggiani C. Mechanosensing in Myosin Filament Solves a 60 Years Old Conflict in Skeletal Muscle Modeling between High Power Output and Slow Rise in Tension. Front Physiol 2016; 7:427. [PMID: 27721796 PMCID: PMC5034546 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Almost 60 years ago Andrew Huxley with his seminal paper (Huxley, 1957) laid the foundation of modern muscle modeling, linking chemical to mechanical events. He described mechanics and energetics of muscle contraction through the cyclical attachment and detachment of myosin motors to the actin filament with ad-hoc assumptions on the dependence of the rate constants on the strain of the myosin motors. That relatively simple hypothesis is still present in recent models, even though with several modifications to adapt the model to the different experimental constraints which became subsequently available. However, already in that paper, one controversial aspect of the model became clear. Relatively high attachment and detachment rates of myosin to the actin filament were needed to simulate the high power output at intermediate velocity of shortening. However, these rates were incompatible with the relatively slow rise in tension upon activation, despite the rise should be generated by the same rate functions. This discrepancy has not been fully solved till today, despite several hypotheses have been forwarded to reconcile the two aspects. Here, using a conventional muscle model, we show that the recently revealed mechanosensing mechanism of recruitment of myosin motors (Linari et al., 2015) can solve this long standing problem without any further ad-hoc hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Marcucci
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of PaduaPadua, Italy; Centre for Mechanics of Biological Materials, University of PaduaPadua, Italy
| | - Carlo Reggiani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of PaduaPadua, Italy; Centre for Mechanics of Biological Materials, University of PaduaPadua, Italy
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Pulcastro HC, Awinda PO, Methawasin M, Granzier H, Dong W, Tanner BCW. Increased Titin Compliance Reduced Length-Dependent Contraction and Slowed Cross-Bridge Kinetics in Skinned Myocardial Strips from Rbm (20ΔRRM) Mice. Front Physiol 2016; 7:322. [PMID: 27524973 PMCID: PMC4966298 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Titin is a giant protein spanning from the Z-disk to the M-band of the cardiac sarcomere. In the I-band titin acts as a molecular spring, contributing to passive mechanical characteristics of the myocardium throughout a heartbeat. RNA Binding Motif Protein 20 (RBM20) is required for normal titin splicing, and its absence or altered function leads to greater expression of a very large, more compliant N2BA titin isoform in Rbm20 homozygous mice (Rbm20ΔRRM) compared to wild-type mice (WT) that almost exclusively express the stiffer N2B titin isoform. Prior studies using Rbm20ΔRRM animals have shown that increased titin compliance compromises muscle ultrastructure and attenuates the Frank-Starling relationship. Although previous computational simulations of muscle contraction suggested that increasing compliance of the sarcomere slows the rate of tension development and prolongs cross-bridge attachment, none of the reported effects of Rbm20ΔRRM on myocardial function have been attributed to changes in cross-bridge cycling kinetics. To test the relationship between increased sarcomere compliance and cross-bridge kinetics, we used stochastic length-perturbation analysis in Ca2+-activated, skinned papillary muscle strips from Rbm20ΔRRM and WT mice. We found increasing titin compliance depressed maximal tension, decreased Ca2+-sensitivity of the tension-pCa relationship, and slowed myosin detachment rate in myocardium from Rbm20ΔRRM vs. WT mice. As sarcomere length increased from 1.9 to 2.2 μm, length-dependent activation of contraction was eliminated in the Rbm20ΔRRM myocardium, even though myosin MgADP release rate decreased ~20% to prolong strong cross-bridge binding at longer sarcomere length. These data suggest that increasing N2BA expression may alter cardiac performance in a length-dependent manner, showing greater deficits in tension production and slower cross-bridge kinetics at longer sarcomere length. This study also supports the idea that passive mechanical characteristics of the myocardium influence ensemble cross-bridge behavior and maintenance of tension generation throughout the sarcomere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah C Pulcastro
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Peter O Awinda
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Mei Methawasin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Henk Granzier
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Wenji Dong
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State UniversityPullman, WA, USA; Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State UniversityPullman, WA, USA
| | - Bertrand C W Tanner
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University Pullman, WA, USA
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